Decorticating apparatus for grain



E. oREsco DECORTICATING APPARATUS FOR GRAIN I Oct. 9,

Filed Sept. 27,; 1943 Patented Oct. 9, 1945 7 2,386,493 DECORTICATINGAPPARATUS FOR GRAIN Enrique Moresco, Buenos Aires, Argentina ApplicationSeptember 27, 1943, Serial No. 504,015 In Argentina September 30, 1942 1Claim.

This invention relates to a novel and improved apparatus fordecorticating wheat or the like, and substantially has for its object asimple apparatus by means of which the decortication or hulling of saidgrain may be performed with a 5 far greater yield than that secured bymeans of the decorticating processes heretofore used.

In the known methods employed for hulling or decorticating Wheat, whenrubbing or abrading the grains by means of stones for obtaining theproduct known in' commerce as rolled wheat, the yield of the process israther low, as in the operations carried out for that purpose the grainis not only decorticated or hulled, but also a considerable part of theuseful material of the grain is removed, with the consequent increase ofrefuse.

In accordance with the present invention, the decortication of thegrainis performed by means of a slight rubbing of the grains againsteach other within'a moist medium, with which, if so desired, a suitableamount of bran may be mixed homogeneously so that the bran which isprefer ably in the shape of powder, will fill all the intersticesbetween the grain.

In the accompanying drawing is shown a decorticating apparatus which isparticularly suitable for carrying out my decorticating process.

The machine essentially consists of a closed receptacle or drum l, ofrectangular, cylindrical or other suitable shape in cross section,provided at the top with an opening 2, for introducing the grain tobetreated." A faucet 3 is conveniently arranged above the said opening2, for feeding in the amount of water necessary for moistening 5thewheat.

At the bottom of the receptacle I is provided a discharge opening I,closed by means of a cover and suitable screws and nuts, as indicated by8, whereby, when opened, the discharge of the 40 treated material iseffected.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

The wheat to be decorticated is charged into thedrum by the opening 2,so as to substantially fill the same, and thereupon the faucet 3 isopened for moistening the grain to the desired extent. If desired andaccording to the nature, of the grain to be. treated, a suitable amountof bran powder is also introduced so as to fill the hollow spacesbetween the grains.

By means of the pulley 5, the rotation of a screw agitator or agitators4 are started, which act to stir the moisted grain, with or without thebran powder, thereby causing the grains to rub against each other andeventually against the bran, during a period of about twenty minutes.The two screw agitators 4, 4 shown in the drawing are of the same pitchand hand, and are respectively driven by two individual shafts whichrespectively are journaled in the top and bottom plates of drum l andhave separate drive pulleys 5, 5. After this time, the cover 1 isremoved and the decorticated grain is discharged, together with the hullparticles removed therefrom and the bran.

The discharged material or mixture of decorticated wheat, hull particlesand. bran is then subjected to treatment which is usual afterdecorticating as drying and separation, after which the decorticatedwheat will be discharged with a yield much higher than that obtained bythe known processes heretofore used, as the slight friction or rubbingto which the grain is submitted in the drum I, will not cause theabrasion of the softer parts of the grain and in consequence, the wastematerial produced by the operation will be considerably less than thatformed by the known processes.

. The rotation of the pulleys '5 is performed by power furnished from asuitable engine, not shown in the drawing, and the preferred speed ofthe agitating device will be of about 600 revolutions per minute.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

'In decorticating apparatus for grain, a casing adapted to standvertically and having top and.

' ENRIQUE MORESCO.

